Hasp latch



A. T. LONG Nov. 19, 1935.

HASP LATCH Filed March 26, 1955 gwuc/wbo'v l9: 7TL07z7 Patented Nov. 19,1935 oars s'mrss apnea.

.ZPATENT OFFICE HASP LATCH 2 Claims.

This invention relates to latches such as are used on travelling bags,brief cases and the like.

The general object of this invention is to simplify and cheapen latchesof this character and toprovide a latch, the hasp of which has a greaterrange of movement than is commonly found in latches of this character.

A further object is to provide a hasp latch of this character in whichthe parts may be readily disassembled but in which the hasp is heldagainst any chance of being accidently pulled out of the hasp plate.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the hasp plate, the hasp itselfbeing shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the hasp plate, hasp and springseparated.

Referring to the drawing, l0 designates the hasp plate which is formedas usual of a stamping. This plate is stamped to form a housing II whichextends upward from the level of the hasp plate and the outer wall [2 ofwhich is inclined rearward towards the face of the hasp plate. Theplate, of course, is provided with the usual openings l3 whereby theplate may be riveted to the bag or other article to which it isattached. The housing II at its front end is provided with an opening l4defined by the outer wall I 2 of the housing, and the inwardly extending lateral walls l5. The body of the hasp plate is extended inwardbeneath these walls 15 to form the lugs it which project inward slightlybeyond the walls l5.

The hasp H, as shown in Figure 2, at its rear or butt end is widened, asat I8, and is notched at 19, these notches extending inward from theside edges of the hasp to thus define pintle lugs 20. The free end ofthe hasp is provided with the eye shown as constructed in accordancewith my Patent No. 1,951,551, granted on the 20th day of March, 1934.The side walls l5 of the housing II are engaged in the notches I9 sothat the pintle lugs 20 extend behind the walls I5 and have rockingengagement with these walls. Disposed within the housing is a foldedspring 2! having a long curved arm 22 and a short arm 23 approximatelyhalf the length of the long arm, the extremity of the short arm beingbent or deflected at its end, as at 24. The spring, when in place,occupies the position shown in Figure 1, with the bent portion 24seating against the lugs IS, the bight of the spring disposed within thehousing i and the long arm of the spring extending against the insideface of the hasp I i.

It will be seen that with this construction, the hasp cannot be pulledout accidently because 5 of the fact that the lugs 29 engage against andinterlock with the inwardly projecting walls l5 defining the sides ofthe hasp opening l4. While these side walls and the lugs 20 prevent thehasp from being accidently pulled out, they permit 10 free rockingmovement of the hasp, the lugs 26 acting as pintles for this purpose.The hasp can only be detached from the plate It] by removing the spring2!, shifting the hasp laterally in the opening M as far as it will goand then giving a 15 twisting motion or turning motion to the hasp. Byreversing this action, the hasp may be readily inserted in the housingof the plate and when inserted is, as before stated, prevented fromaccidental removal after the insertion of the spring 20 22 because thisspring 22 will prevent any axial turning movement of the hasp and thehasp cannot be pulled out because of the engagement of the lugs 20 withthe side walls l5. The spring is held in position by the engagementofthe slightly bent or curved edge 24 with the lug l6 and the pressureof the spring is sufiicient to prevent any accidental shifting of thisspring out of the housing. When the spring is in place, the hasp may beturned inward, that is, toward the plane of the inner face of the haspplate and the hasp may be swung outward, the end edge 25 of the hasppressing the long arm of the spring 22 toward the short arm, as will beobvious from Figure 1. Thus, the spring acts to urge the hasp to anormal position as shown in Figure -1.

My construction gives a great range of movement to the hasp, a muchgreater range than commonly found in devices of this character. 40Furthermore, the structure is particularly cheap, permitting the partsto be readily stamped out and readily assembled. At the same time, asbefore stated, there is no chance of the parts being 'accidentlydisassembled. The hasp cannot be removed from the housing when thehousing plate is attached to a bag because the widened portion A8 of thebody of the hasp will strike the face of the bag or other article if thehasp be axially turned in an endeavor to remove the 50 hasp, but whenthe hasp plate is off of the bag, the hasp may be readily removed orinserted 'without trouble. The long arm of the spring plays against theinside face of the hasp H as the hasp is depressed or raised.

It will be noted that the spring cannot be entirely pulled out from thehousing and detached therefrom under ordinary circumstances, because thelong arm of the spring, if the spring is pulled directly outward, willstrike the eye at the extremity of the hasp and thus be prevented fromany further movement. However, by fully compressing the spring by animplement, the spring can be pulled out and canted and then be removed,but this cannot occur accidently and Without the exertion ofconsiderable force.

What is claimed is:

1. A hasp latch for bags including a plate having a housing thereon, thehousing at one end having a mouth defined by side walls, a top wall andtwo opposed inwardly projecting lugs at the lower end of the side walls,the hasp having opposed notches in its lateral edges defining pintlelugs and adapted tobe disposed with its notches in register with theside walls of the mouth opening and its pintle lugs extending laterallybeyond the inwardly projecting walls of the mouth opening, and a springfolded upon itself to provide a short arm and a long arm, the bight ofthe spring being disposed within the housing, the short arm resting uponthe upper edges of the lugs of the housing and being bent at its end toseat on said lugs of the housing, the long arm extending beneath andbearing against the inside face of the hasp.

2. A hasp latch for bags including a hasp plate having a housing struckup therefrom, the housing increasing in depth toward its front end, thefront end of the housing defining a mouth opening having inwardlyprojecting lateral walls and inwardly projecting lugs at the ends ofsaid walls, a hasp having its inner end widened and provided withopposed notches defining laterally projecting pintle lugs, the notchesreceiving the side walls of the mouth opening and the pintle lugsengaging behind said side walls, and a spring disposed within thehousing and detachably engaged therewith, the spring having an armbearing against the inside face of the hasp.

ALLEN T. LONG.

